10 Innovative Michigan Technology Companies

We are very excited to contribute to Awesome Mitten, a site devoted to everything mind-blowing about our great state! As the publishers of The Michigan Tech 100, the first-ever eBook featuring the homegrown apps, personalities, companies and resources that are making Michigan a hub for technology, we are similarly committed to promoting the good news from our sate.

Please enjoy learning about ten of the Michigan-based technology firms from The Michigan Tech 100, and join the conversation using hashtag #MItech100 on Twitter.

Southwest Michigan

Love gaming? Check out S2 Games, which has been developing strategy and shooter games since 2011. In just one year, they’ve doubled staff, and are now 90 people strong. Watch as they continue to grow and entertain us!

West Michigan

How can you help generate brand awareness and sales? Social2Step offers a marketing platform that sits between advertising and one’s social networks. By tapping into your employees’ connections, executives can harness crowds to build awareness, and implement measures to improve each campaign.

Blue Medora specializes in the enterprise system management market, building products and services that help organizations control and monitor their critical applications. An infusion of $1.25 million from investors in January 2013 will certainly help Blue Medora execute its plans for growth.

Central Michigan

Liquid Web has survived the initial Internet boom and bust of the 1990s, to become one of the largest hosting companies for small and medium sized businesses. The company also offers an Incubator program, which provides $25,000 in free hosting to start ups.

Southeast Michigan

Watch out Bloomberg News! Benzinga is making a splash in the financial news sector, while also providing investment tools for individuals. The company recently launched Marketfy to help customers more effectively find financial tools and resources that meet their needs.

In an increasingly global marketplace, learning a new language can be a vital skill that sets you apart from your competition. Mango Languages offers an interactive curriculum for business people and consumers to learn 28 different languages, serving personal, government, academic and library markets.

Pontiac has long been known as one of Michigan’s troubled cities, but has seen a resurgence with help from companies like Future Help Designs. This company designs and develops mobile applications, and hosts “Cloud Fridays” allowing developers to work from home and focus on pet projects, too.

A great Michigan technology company with a social cause, Ardent Cause provides Virtual CIO services to help non-profits effectively use technology to fulfill their missions. The company was founded by four IT veterans who came together to work on a regional charitable non-profit foundation.

This company is improving the way vendors can accept credit cards and debit cards by providing simple mobile solutions. With several Detroit-based retailers and restaurants among its clients, the company is transforming the mobile payment industry. Also, as an added bonus, the company is giving back 10 percent of its income on Detroit transactions to area non-profits!

Do you remember spending a ton of money on your required college textbooks, some of which were hardly ever used? Ginkgotree aims to solve this costly problem for students by allowing professors to cheaply and easily develop their own curriculum and material.

Don’t miss the rest of the Michigan Tech 100. Download your free copy of the The Michigan Tech 100 now to check out other Michigan companies, products, people, resources and events.

Make sure to follow @bigtentjobs on Twitter and check out Hashtag #MItech100 for more insights into Michigan’s technology industry.

Adam Kaplan, Contributing Writer

Adam Kaplan is the founder of Big Tent Jobs, LLC, a Michigan-based recruiting company that places top IT and other technical talent, including those with hidden and visible disabilities, in positions at leading companies and organizations. Big Tent Jobs matches the most talented candidates with hiring managers who are committed to meeting and exceeding their business objectives.